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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 1:58 p.m., Wednesday, September 24, 2008

UH football: Ford Island closed for San Jose State game

Advertiser Staff

Ford Island will be closed for Saturday's game due to the expected crowd size and the cost of operations at the alternate parking site, Stadium Manager Scott Chan said.

"After evaluating the cost for the use of Ford Island for the Weber State game, we have decided that it is not economically feasible to use it as an alternate parking site unless the attendance warrants it," University of Hawai'i Athletic Director Jim Donovan said. "It cost the department close to $18,000 to park approximately 650 vehicles and shuttle those passengers. We are not ruling out the use for the entire season. We will determine use on a game-by-game basis depending on the ticket sales on Mondays of game week. We anticipate an attendance of approximately 37,000 for this week's game against San Jose State."

All other alternate parking sites including Leeward Community College, Kam Drive-In, and Radford High School, will be open.

Aloha Stadium parking gates for Saturday's University of Hawaii football game will open at 2:30 p.m., except for the lower Halawa lot, which will open at 1:30 p.m.

All turnstile gates will open at 3 p.m. for the 6:05 p.m. kickoff against San Jose State.

The lower Halawa lot accommodates about 1,500 vehicles.

Traffic updates will be available on ESPN 1420 AM starting from 2:30 p.m.

Access to the lower lot will be through parking gates 3 and 4. Vehicles will not be allowed to move to other sections of the parking lot from the lower Halawa lot.

Except for a limited number of ADA stalls, all of the inner circle parking is reserved for UH Athletics this season. Access to the inner circle parking areas will be via pass only and through the Main Salt Lake Gate 1 (for sections 1-7) and the North Kam Gate 2 (for sections 8-14).

ADA stalls will be open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parking attendants will be asking for ADA placards and ADA issued identification cards. Guests who are unable to produce the placard and the ID card to match a person inside the vehicle will not be allowed to park in the ADA areas.

In addition, Centerplate will once again host the Aloha Zone in the grass area near the upper Halawa lot (near pole 29). The tailgate will be held under a large tent and will have televisions for other football games and entertainment.

Fans utilizing the shuttle service from alternate parking sites (Radford High School, Kam Drive-In, Leeward Community College) will be allowed free access to this area. Fans can also pay a $5 cover charge to enter the tailgate.

"The Aloha Zone is going to be a fun place to be this season," Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan said. "Centerplate has stepped up to the plate and is providing a large carnival-style tent, along with the entertainment and TVs and other activities going on down there."

ALTERNATE PARKING SITES (All open at 2:30 p.m.)

Kam Drive-in – Parking is $5 per vehicle with FREE shuttle service and FREE admission to the Aloha Tailgate (located at Pole 29);

Leeward Community College – Parking is FREE. Cost is $2 for shuttle service with FREE admission to the Aloha Tailgate (located at Pole 29);

Radford High School – Parking is $5. NO shuttle service available. FREE admission to the Aloha Tailgate (located at Pole 29);

Note: Security is present at all alternate parking sites. Shuttle serviced begins at 3:30 p.m. and up to one hour after the game ends.

TRAFFIC & PARKING FLOW CHART

Entrance through Gate 1 (Main Salt Lake) – Bus Lot and parking areas 1-7 only (passes only);

Entrance through Gate 2 (North Kam) – Parking areas 8-14 only (passes only);

Entrance through Gate 3 (Halawa) – Upper and Lower Halawa parking lots only;

Entrance through Gate 4 (Lower Salt Lake) – Lower Halawa parking lots only;

Entrance through Gate 5 (Kam) – Kam parking lot only.